Rotary wing aircraft



R.RHAYS ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT Feb. ,6,- 1945. I

Filed Sept. `28, 1943 s sheets-sheet 1 Feb 6, 1945. R, R. HAYs ROTARYV WING AIRCRAFT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed sept. 28, 1945 Feb. s, 1945. R. RQ HAYS 2,369,045*

ROTARY WI NG AIRCRAFT Filed sept. 28, 1943i :s sheets-'sheet s' il, lf' l 4.',

solidity,

resultant force effective Patented Feb. 6, 1945 OFFICE ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT I Russell R. Hays, lawrence, Kans.A Application September 2s, 1943, Serial N0.'504,143

' 5 claims (ci. 17o- 164i This invention relates to improvementsr in rotary wing aircraft,

trailing edge of the blades thereof. movement'of which effects a variation in the flight 'character-.

propeller after failure of the engine are well known, as are various mechanisms which automatically decrease the pitchof the system in order to convert it to an autorotative system.

The Lproblem of emcient flight in 'conjunction with th safety factor inherent vto autorotative and more particularly to a lifting propeller having flaps mounted on the descent in event of engine failure is not, howv ever, disposed of by such expedients, because, although the lifting propeller and the autorotative rotor belong to the same family and as such exhibit marked similarity as regards optimum efficiency with respect to tipspeed ratios,

span, and the like, -a very definite distinction and operating pitch of the blades. This dinerence arises through the fact that the lifting propeller is tilted forward slightly with respect to its direction of travel in order toobtalnfa propulsive component through forward tilting of the upon the propeller; whereas the autorotative rotor is tilted slightly rearwardly toits direction of travel in order that a portion of the airstre'am resultant to thistravel will actuate the inner sections of th'e rotor blades so that in effect they constitute' a Windmill capable of turning the outer sections ofthe sameblades which then function as lifting propellers. Basically, this means that the airstreamresultant to translation must pass up through the center of an autcrotative system, whereas witha lifting propeler it must pass downward through this same portion of the disc area.

Since the induced flow is across the span of either a propeller or a rotor, whereas the rotational velocity of the blade sections varies directly as their distance fromthe hub, it follows that with optimum efficiency dependent' upon the use of comparatively low attack angles to the airstream passing through the system's disc, the pitch of the lifting propeller will be characterized by twist of the blades which is ygreatest at' the hub. With the autorotative system, on the other'hand, windmilling will be possible only when the resultant force on the exists in respect to the optimum'twistv relatively constant individual blade sections has a forward component relative to the axis of rotation, and hence to convert the lifting propeller to an autorotaf tive system,` its twist must be reversed or other-l wise nullified.

It is thus apparent thatsuch conversion should incorporate not only provision for a decrease in the effective pitch of the system, but also for effecting 'a reverse twisting of the blades. Automatically changing the pitch oi' a lifting pro-` peller in event of engine failure is comparativa' ly easy of attainmentas is well known in the art.V Automatically varying the twist of the blades at the same time, however-although variously suggested'heretofore, as cal in the form proposed. v

' Difficulty in the latter respect arises from two For the blades simply to be twisted about their span axes implies a certain Ydegree of flexibility in the blades as Well as involved mechanical linkages whose parts are subject to fatigueand which are not readily amenable to production methods.- The use of flaps, 'on the other hand, resolves itself essentiallyto a variation in the air foil section initially used. This may be-considered `as a camber variation, since chord and thickness do not vary greatly. Camber variation in turn is associated with center of pressure travel which so varies'the stability of some blade sections as to introduce exceedinglyinvolved structural problems.

Tests earlier conducted with of'- the greatest difficulties encountered arose through lag of the restoring moment after an aerodynamic loadhad been removed. In short, the flaps kicked upto vlow angle-of-attack positions and tended to maintainrthis position despite a decrease in the R. .P. M. far` below that at which they had initially kicked up 'Subsequently, alarge number of airfoil sectibnswere tested on rotors in an effort to' determine/to what degree their characteristics were reected in rotor performance.` The results of these tests indicated that the characteristics of the medium camber sections were not altered 'too greatly through the use of aps, but that as the-width of the flapl is increased a very poor autorotative section finally evolves.

It was observed, however, that the performnance of such a section decreasedat the higher rotational velocities; i. e. at lower values of the tipspeed ratio, but that it lwas not so much out of line at low rotational speeds. `The indicationwas thus given that at the inner portion of the blades,

yet appears to be impractitension loaded flaps as a feathering means indicated that one `such sections might i engine failure. e feet the requisite disastrous.

' For this reason, a more gradual means be used without-incurring a prohibitive loss in emciency. This finding was of particular value since it points to the use of `large flaps to provide large pitch variations at the inner part of l that a single continuous ap of triangular form may be used in conjunction with a leading edge a rotor. It therefore follows portion of substantially constant width to form l an efficient autorotative blade; and that by movement of the ap from a position in which the l two parts provide optimum autorotative sectionsv at all points along the span, not only is theeffective pitch of the blade increased, but also an effective twist suited for a lifting propeller ref sults.l

Since rotation of the blade about its span axis l to attain pitchvariation is no longer necessary l when such yflaps are used, to achieve gradual movement of the flaps automatlcally to an autorotative position in event of e 'general types. 'One utilized springs which were mechanically' released when the rotor freewheeled. The;l other utilized movement of the blades, then a gradual transition of a lifting pro- Y peller to an autorotative system can be obtaned. This type of transition is particularly advantageous when used in conjunction with a propeller having interconnected blades mounted for free an axis transverse to their` rocking action about axis of rotation and at right angles to the span axis of the blades. The reason therefor is that with individuallyarticulated blades in which coning variation varies their pitch', tilting of the rotor produces a pitch increase onthe downward. ly flapping blade and a pitch decrease on the upwardly flapping vantageous for feathering, it has been found that it now becomes possible e Previous methods employed to efpitch variation had been oftwo f when blades individually vary their-=pitcb with s tilting \.or napping by a degree sufficient to effectively convert them from lifting propellers to autorotative blades with small changes in their coning angles,.rotor rough and highly inefficient. vFor this reason, a

practical means for converting a propeller having l individually articulatively mounted blades to an blade Vrelative to a radial line in its plane of rotation,Vv which occurred when a drive torque ceased to be applied. Both methods, are objectionable in that each responds directly to an abrupt transition from power-on and power-off conditions of flight which does not take into account the direction of the relative airstream still effective upon thefsystem by reason of the inertia of its forward motion. Thus, with the propeller tilted forward in translational flight, an abrupt change inpitch actually reverses ofthe resultant force, al reversal which in close proximity to the earth might easily prove to be e of pitch variation with the change frompcWer-.on to power-off conditions of flight is desirable. vAnd one logical source for activating this change is present in the ycharacteristic of self-aligning blades in effecting an increase in the coning angle of the blades with transition of a lifting propeller to anV autorotative system, as Vwill now he discussed.

In normal cruising flight,

is. not immediately evidenced by a change in night due to Vthe rottioriai inertia of the blades -and the forward inertia of the machine acting to perpetuate the initial state of flight. How,- ever, as this inertia is dissipated, not only does the `forward speed of the'machine decrease but Vthe rotational speed of the propeller also decreases. With decrease in'rotational speed the lift of the propeller decreases andthe machine starts todescend. As the speed fof descentincreases, the direction Vof the airstream passing through the propeller isY reversed; that is, it strikes the propeller from below rather than from above, and lthus acts .to increase theattack angle of the blades. At the same'timethe vertical component of the centrifugal force eective upon the blades has decreased Vby reason of their decreased rotational velocity. Consequently, the

"lift ofthe blades nowacts to raisethem, i. e.

.cone them upwardly, to a new position in which lift and centrifugal force effective upon them are in equilibrium. i

Were the pitch of the propeller maintained the direction of actiony the object of this invention isbrq'zsadlyy the D170- i vision of a lifting propeller, the blades ofV whichY autorotative system through increased 'coning of the blades hasnot and cannot be achieved.

Accordingly, with these considerations in mind,

incorporate' trailing edgeaps which areautomatically operative in event ofY engine failure to convertthe propeller to an emcientautorotative blade system. i

A further object is the provision'in a/lifting propeller of a trailing edge flap for the blades of the propeller which is wider at its inner end than at its outer end so and that of the blade proper is greater at the' inner sections of the blade than at the outer sections, withthe result thatmovement ofthe flap is effected to produce a greater change.. in the effective pitch of the inner blade sections than the outerblade sections.

failure of the engine constant during such increased coning, the propeller would eventually stop. If, howeverysuch increased coning acts to decrease the pitch ofthe Another object is the provision of a novel rotor blade inV which the weight and strength Vof the blade is centered in a leading edge portion of substantially uniform width and Y to which is hingedly mounted a triangular shaped flap of relatively light construction which has its greatest width adjacent the hub of the blade and its least width adjacent the tip of the blade.

A still further object is the provision of a lift Y blades are provided, with' upon variationin the coning angles of the blades/ with upward coning action them vwith downward coning to raise the flaps thereofl and to lower action.

Another object is theV provision of yieldableV means for varying'the effective pitch of a propeller blade with coning, the yield point of which isgreater than required to vary the 4pitch through a normal range, but which when the blade move- `ment is arrested by appropriate means is then yieldable to prevent distortion of the mechanism. VStill another object is the provision of a problade. WhileV this may be ad-f tilt teathers themexcessively', A- with theV result that they become exceedingly that the ratio between its area' aecomo j apparent from the following description taken' with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a lifting propeller blade according to the invention, illustrating the leading edge portion of substantially uniform width i and atrailin-g edge flapl of triangular shape;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the blade shown in Fig. 1, looking into the leading edge thereof:

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are, respectively, enlarged sectional views taken alonglines 3 4, I-l-l and 5 5 oi' the blade shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedplan. view of the hub or inner part of a lifting propel-ler, the intercone nected blades of-which each incorporate-a tr'all-4 c ing edge lflap-according tothe invention, illusi e trating the mounting of the interconnected blades in the hub and the offset yieldable arm which controls theidegree of trailing flap movement in response to coning of the blades;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of 'mounting illustrated in Fig. 6;

Fig. a is an emerged view 'of the nep mechanism takeny in side elevation. illustrating the an- '#gu'lar change of the flap accompanying variation in the blade coning angle;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view` in side, elevation lof a drop center propeller, illustrating theincrease of the coning angles of the blades with transitiontoan autorotative condition.

InV the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, reference character I (Fi-gs. 1 and 2) the .blade and napl creases the twist of the blade, and hence its pitch. As respects camber variation, it will be seen that at section 3-3 (Fig. 3), the chord N of the nap is approximately 30% of thel total chord N-M of the blade section; at'second 4-4 (Fig. 4) the flap chord N is approximately 40% of the totalv chord; while at section -5 it approaches 50%k of the total chord. Accordingly, the Vratio of blade area to that of the blade-proper is greater at the inner sectionsof the blade than atV the outer sections thereof.l While these values for the width of the'ilap are probably greater than will be used in mostfdesigns ccntemplated,they nevertheless show clearly the variation of the chamber of the blade by a greater amount at its butt than at its tip. resultant to movement of the flap through a lowering angle u to a position I2 at those sections along the span of the blade at which the flap I2 has greater width.

` It will be further observed that. movement of the flap I2 relative.` to the leading edge portion I I of the blade does not greatly alter the general characteristics of 'the section adjacent the tip edge of the blade on whichthe section 3-3 is taken, and that the changeI which-'does occur as a result of 'ilap movement is essentially one of twisting or untwisting (ilatteningout) of the blades and of increasing the camber of theblade sections as well las of moving the position of maximum camber` rearwardly by a relatively small degree. It has beenfoundthat such movement rdoes not introduce roughness into the operation of a rotor because, although a less satisfactory section results with increase in the degree lcamber rearwardly with.' increasing will benoted that the less satisfactory sectionsV of cambervariation and travel of maximum flap area, it

are confined to the inner lportions` of the blade where the air loads are comparatively light.

., Considering now the means for raising and lowering the flaps, 'reference is made to Figs. V6,

rl and 9, wherein symmetrically disposed A'blades provided with iiaps asaforesaid are shown as vindicates a lifting propeller blade of more 0r less conventional plan form designed around a medium camber wing section such as the N. A. C. A. 2412 and which, according to the invention,vhas a leadingy edge portion II in which the weight and strength of the blades is centered anda trailing edge portion or flap I 2 of relatively light con-l struction hingedly connected thereto by an elongated hinge pin I3 carried by the dove-tailed hinge leafs or trunnions I4, I5, provided, respectively, on the adjacent edges of such leading and trailing edge portions. Fig. l1, the leading edge portion II has substantially uniform width throughout its length whereas the flap I 2-is of generally triangular( plan form, having its greatest width adjacent the butt of the blade and its least widthadiacent the blade tip. As shown, the chord lines of the leading ed'ge portion II and flap I2 are in alignment, and the cross sections of the blades as seen As will be observed in interconnected by a drop center hub 20 which is preferably of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 494,705, illed July 14:,v 1943. With the leading edgeportion of each blade having a blade butt I6 solidly aillxed to it, the butts in turn are yieldably mountedy on bolts I8 carried by the hub. Thehub l2II is mounted for' free rockingI movement about an axis B`B through the bearings or hangers -2I which is transverse'to lthe axis of rotation A-A offadrive shaft (not shown). Inasmuch as the in Figs. 3, 4 and'5 are of conventional airfoil sections having the same pitch relative to their plane of rotation. However, due to its triangular plan form, movement of the flap about the hinge axis I3 effects simultaneously a twist variation in the blade and a variation of its camber by a greater amount at its butt than at' its tipand hence produces a corresponding variation in the effective pitch of the blade.

twisted (flattened) and its pitch decreased,

whereas downward movement of the flap in`v Thus, assuming upward movement of the flap the blade is effectivelyunr the hub structure 20. Hence, the inner en'd of lthe yieldable arm is free to slide horizontally for means for actuating the liapsof the symmetri-V cally -disposed blades are identical, one such means only will bedescribed.

.The blade flap I2. at its relatively inner end carries a yieldable arm member 24 of spring steel or other suitablev material, the strip being fixed tov the flap by means of rivets 2l. As indicated in Figs. 6 and 7, the strap 24 is twisted at its relatively inner end to form is provided with an elongated, vertically disposed kslot or eye 28 for a bolt 30 threaded into an extension 3I `which projects from the ap side-of the length 0f the slot 28 and to twist about the' vaxis 'of bolt 30, but is'restrained from travel in a plane parallel to vthat containing the'axis of rotation A-A of the hub.- V

Inoperation, the-initial setting' of-theilap I2 relative to the leading edge` portion' II ofthe blade `I0 will normally be such that the blade isy a hanger 26,` which untwisted and its effective pitch decreased as the flap moves upwardly above a `position in which its chord line isin alignmentwith that of. the leading edge portion, thus to form airfcil sections having reflex trailing edges `during autorotative descent, such beingpermitted4 .by theyieldable mounting ofv the ,blade butt in the hub: and the` initial adjustment for coning or flexing provided by such yieldable mounting. With .moderately heavy Iblades, the coning angle'of theblades during operation of the propeller as a lifting propeller willwbe in the neighborhood of 31/2` to 4 degrees forV each blade and, with transition to autorotativefdescent, this angle will increase to as much as 6 degrees, this being dependent upon the specific design ofthe blades and the rate of descent required. 1 Y f I A YAssuming that theincrease incoming available iwhen the blades move up from the position C-C .(Fig. 9) towhich they are initially set to the posi-v tion C-C"which they take'upon'transition from a Apower-'on to a power-off condition of flight is 1in the neighborhood of V2 degrees, this movement according to the invention'is utilized to effect a substantially-greater variation'in the flap angle `Y in order togdecrease theeffective pitchofthe blade in the neighborhood vof 5 to 6 degrees near 4The, mechanism required the tip of the Iblades. i l to eect such decrease in pitch is relatively simple. As the increased lift'of the blades consequent to the transition from power-on to power- `off conditions of flight acts to raise the blades l (increase the coningithereof) to a new position j Vin which lift and centrifugal forces eiective upon them are .in equilibrium, the blades in assumingA this new position flex about an axis E-E parallel I to the rocking axis B--B.A With such increased coning, an inward projection of the axis D-D of the hinge pin I3 is moved oppositely to the-direc- .tionl of 'coning,' due to the 'axis D-D being in 1 effect pivoted about the axis as diagraml matically illustrated in Fig. 8. The leading edge of the flap I2, being integral with thev axis D-D,

l follows the latter to assume the position DD', "with increase of coning of the blade. However, the trailing edge of the flap I2 is free totake a position-dictated by other forces. If restraint is Fis the point ofeffectiye y 30 carried .by the hub extension 3 I ,v which connection between the hanger end26 ofthe yieldable arm and the bolt is onset from the axis of rotation A--A and lies relatively behind the axisD-D andVin-,board from the axis E-,E, its position being moreoverdictated by the angleZ.

"from power-on to power-orf flight effective to raise the flaps relative edge portions of the blades throughout a.V sub-y With the above described arrangement, it will` be observed that a smallincrease in the coning blades, as results from the transition. conditions, is

angle of the to the leading stantially greater angle Due kto the triangular plan form Vof the blades and the fact that the ratio :between flap area and that Yof the blade 1, proper is greater at the inner `sections offthe applied to the flap at any point lying behindV the 1 axiS'D-D and out of alignment with the axis l E-vE, itis apparent that variation of coning of the blade from its vinitial setting will produce. lmovement of the flap relative to the leading edge f portion I I of the blade. v Since `the flap must move upward withv increased coning ofthe blade, thereby to effect decrease Vin the pitch thereof with transition Afrom power-on to power-oli night conditions, it follows thatthe point F, at which i restraint is applied to the flapshould lie in-V board from the axis lil-E, and that the degree of `movement of the. flap will be dependent upon che distance that the peinte lies behind the axis Dv-D. Y Y

The value of the relative distances for offsetblade I0 is' thus seen to be roughly dictated by the co-tangent Z times the variation in .the coningangle in degrees. The valueiof the angle Z is of course predetermined by the specific design Y failure.

ting the point F is simplified by considering the i relative movement ofthe flap as being dictated r by an Aangle Z which lies between the axisYD-,D and a line connectingthe points F and G, the: latter being the point of intersection o f the axes E-E and D-D. When so considered, the change in angularityl of the ap I2 with coning of ther contemplated. In Fig-6 the point of restraint 76 bladesthan Vat the outer sections, raising of the flaps -is effective to produce a decrease in they effective pitch ofthe blades through untwisting thereof and increasing the camber of the innerk blade sections relative to theouter sections thereof to a degree that the naps become automatically` Voperative in the event of engine failure to convertthe propeller ,to an efficient auto'rotative blade system. f v

Just as the leading edge of the flap I2 follows movement of the-hinge pin axisD-D to a position D'D' with increase of coning, it Valso moves to a position D"--D" with decrease of coniug. In this case, arm 2d acts to lower the flapv with decrease in the coning angle o f the blades thereby to increase the effective pitch of V theyblade through twisting thereof. Since in some instancesxexcessive downward coning of the blades,

as in landing, may conceivably rlead .to excessive` to `operate the'ap through the range required.

The elongated .slot 28 functions similarly to pro-.-

vide relief to theap operating mechanism .when

for any reason oscillation of the bladewithin its plane of rotation occurs.

FromV the foregoingfit will beseen thatrthe Y invention achieves in simple and practical form the objective of means includingtrailing edge flaps for the blades of a lifting propeller forauto-f matically converting the'propeller to an eflicient autorotative"blade-system inthe event of engine thus overcomes the objections of prior arrangements and methods employed to obtain pitch variation of the blades which depended on abrupt transition from power-on to power-off conditions vof flight without taking Yinto account the direction oi' the relative airstream stilleiective on the sys* tem by reason of theinertia of its forward motion. v

Moreover, through the provision of yieldable' meansjfor varying the Veffective pitch of the blades with coning thereof, the yield point of which is greater than required to vary the pitch throughout a normal range but which when the blade movement is arrested by appropriate stops is then yieldable, sureness and safety of operation It will hey observed also that the invention provides for gradual movement of the :lapsA automatically toan autorotative `position andV results and the possibility of distortion of the mechanism or parts thereof is removed.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above construction without departing from the scope of .the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In rotary wing aircraft, a sustainingrotor having symmetrically disposed and substantially rigidly interconnected lblades mounted for free rocking action about an axis transverse to said rotors axis of rotation, means for mounting said blades upon said hub to permit limited variation in coning thereof, and means for varying the effective pitch of said blades with coning thereof.

2. In rotary wing aircraft, a sustaining rotor having symmetrically disposed and substantially rigidly interconnected blades mounted for free rocking action about an axis transverse to said rotors axis of rotation, means for mounting said blades upon said hub to permit limited variation in coning thereof, and means for varying the effective pitch of said blades with coniiig thereof including a triangular iiap comprising the trailing edge of each of said blades whereby the effective pitch variation is greater on the inner sections than on the outer sections of said blades.

3. In rotary wing aircraft, a sustaining rotor having symmetrically disposed and substantially rigidly interconnected blades mounted for free rocking action about an axis transverse to said rotors axis of rotation, means for mounting said blades upon said hub to permit limited variation in coning thereof, and means for varying the effective pitch of said blades with coning thereof, said last-named means including a trailing edge iiap for the individual blades of said rotor the width of which is greater adjacent the inner sections of the blades than adjacent the outer sections of said blades.

4. In rotary wing aircraft, a sustaining rotor having symmetrically disposed and substantially rigidly interconnected blades mounted for free rocking action about an axis transverse to said rotors axis of rotation, means for mounting said blades upon said hub to permit limited variation in coning thereof, and means for varying the effective pitch of said blades with coning thereof,

said last-named means including a yield point in the mounting of each blade on said hub and a point of restraint integral with said hub structure and operatively contacting the butt of said blade, said points being so located that a line drawn between them makes an acute angle with the span axis of said blade.

5. In rotary wing aircraft, a. sustaining rotor having symmetrically disposed and substantially rigidly interconnected blades mounted for free rocking action about an axis transverse to said rotor's axis of rotation, means for mounting said 4blades upon said hub to permit limited variation in coning thereof, and means for varying the eifective pitch of said blades with coning thereof,

said last-named means including a triangular flap mounted to form the trailing edge of each of said blades, a yield point in the mounting'of said blades upon said hub structure, a substantially rigid arm extending inwardly of said yield point from each of said trailing edge flaps, and a rigid restraining arm mounted outboard o! the main hub structure and operative to restrain movement of the end of said inwardly extending flap arm whereby the flap is raised in response to upward coning of the blades and depressed in response to downward coning of said blades.

RUSSELL R. HAYS. 

